A vehicle driven by an allegedly intoxicated motorist plowed through a retaining wall and struck a guest house adjacent to a Corona home, triggering a fire that left a woman and her two young grandchildren trapped for a time and leaving her hospitalized with burn injuries.
The wreck happened just before 2 a.m. Monday in the 1000 block of Cleveland Way, just off of Gilbert Avenue, according to Corona police and fire officials.
The driver, whose name was not immediately released, was traveling northbound on Gilbert when he lost control of his vehicle, which traveled up a curb, crashed through a decorative wall and went into the yard around the Cleveland Way property, smashing into the guest house, investigators said.
The 72-year-old woman was sleeping in the detached structure with her 7- and 8-year-old grandchildren, none of whom were struck by the automobile, which came to rest next to her bed, authorities said. But the crash ignited a fire that quickly engulfed the vehicle and spread throughout the living quarters.
A large piece of furniture knocked over during the crash blocked the only door in the space, prompting family members from the main house to force open a window to free the woman and children, who crawled to safety.
The grandmother suffered burns before she could get out and was taken to a trauma center for treatment, according to city officials.
Detective Andy Bryant said the guest house sustained extensive damage and was “red-tagged” due to structural instability. The car was destroyed.
The 23-year-old driver was found outside the vehicle with minor injuries. Bryant said the man appeared to be under the influence. He and his passenger, who also was not identified, were taken to a hospital for treatment.
There was no word of an arrest as of Monday afternoon.
–City News Service